The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-02-19
PLEADING FOR SOD0M.
NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

Cen. XVIII, :J-j,I-tolden I"Nt, htb'
Al, .-Crlticnl aud Practical Notes by
Samuel Ives Curtiss, rh. H.. -. H.. OF
Chicago.
mtroductlon.-Lo in Sodom-Wc left Lot
lust outside of SHlom Gen, Mi, ~, In due
Time he became a citizen of Sodom As such
his fortunes were linked with those Of the
city. Hence when the kings of Sodom and
Gomoriah were overcome by Chelullaomer
and his allies, Lot was taken captive and all
that he had With rare generosity Abraham,
who had heard OF his nephew's misfortune,
gath. red together small but trained force Of
SIS men, and at much personal risk rescued
his nephew ", iGl, who had been so unsra,e'
Jul. Lots choice had thus proved 10 be
mistake from worldly point Of view. lie
returns 20 Sodom. and becomes still further
involved in It's destiny. Good men are often
instrumental in transforming had communi'
ties but they are likely TO have little power
over the moral condition of people If their
ambition j. 10 get rich.
At the time Of the events described in this
chapter Abraham was over ~ years of age
Gen. xvii y. God had appeared 10 him again,
had promised him numerous poSterity, had
given him new name, Abraham, as a con
slant reminder Of his promises, and the land
Of Canaan, and had suffered him 10 have a
SOIL, lshmael, although he was not 10 DC his
heir (Cien. xvi, Is; xvi, 1921 and had made a
new covenant with him Gen. xvii, l0D.
Abrahams Guests. the chapter from
which our lesson is taken, Abraham was
favored with three heavenly visitors, one OF
whom seems 10 have been the Angel OF Je
hovah, who appeared rs the Old Testament
Redeemer ut different times in the history OF
the patriarchs and Of their descendants
While he spread meal before them, they
told him that the long promised son was to be
born at the appointed time. After these joy
full tidings his angelic guests looked toward
Sodom. II was then that the Angel of Je-
hovah announced his purpose to Abraham TO
visit Sodom, and speaking after the manner
of men, he proposed 20 see whether the char
acter of the people corresponded To the report
that had come TO him. The two companions
Of Jehovah now turn To SO toward Sodom,
and Abraham is left alone with Jehovah, as
his grandson, Jacob, was with the same per
son many years later Gen. NNNii, ~, 30, re-
vlsed version, margin; Hos xii, a..
No threat has yet been uttered against
Sodom, bat Abraham knows that the wicked
city cannot endure an investigation. He
makes no plea for Gomorrah, hut his heart
yearns for his nephew, who IS living IN
Sodom.
THE LESSON.
Abrahams Plea w. 23).--ITe does not ask
that the wicked should be spared. He does
not intimate that they have not had a sufii
cient opportunity for repentance. His whole
plea is in behalf of Lot and his family. To
understand it we must remember that in
Old Testament times men We're not considered
50 much ms individuals as they were with ref
erence to the families and tribes with which
they were connected, SO that if man were
punished for his sin his whole family suffered
with him Abraham, therefore, felt that If
Soiom were to I've destroyed there would I've
no escape for Lot. Hence he asks Jehovah,
Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the
wicked.
VS.. "A ~ With these verses begins plea
which is without parallel III the entire
Scriptures. To appreciate it we must re
member the truly Oriental character OF the
transaction Abraham, with all his rever-
ence, is here shown to be a genuine child OF
the east in asking for more favorable terms
in connection with each petition. He begins
by surprising that there are fifty righteous in
the place, and begs that Sodom may he
spared for their sakes. In this petition and
those that follow he probably has in mind
Lot and his household as righteous, for not
only Abraham, but also his servants, were
included in the covenant IL was not un-
reasonable for him to suppose that Lot, who
must have been the poSseSSOr OF goodly
number of servants like himself, had u truly
religious household OF at least fifty persons.
The First 1heodicv These verses may he
considered as containing what the theOlogians
might call the first theodicy, or the first
attempt to justify the ways of God with men.
1t does not seem TO occur to Abraham, how
ever, 10 make any plea for the wicked that
they should have another opportunity to re-
pent. His sole petition is that the righteous
Shall not he as the wicked. That I've far from
the Lord. And then he raises the question,
shall not the Judge of all the earth do right
v % Jehovah readily acCedes to his
prayer, and tells him that if he finds fifty
righteous within the city he will spare all the
place for their sakeS Nobody knows how
much cities are indebted to Christianity for
their peace and prosperity and how many
judgments are averted from wicked places for
the sake Of Gods people
VS.. 21-39 Abraham becomes bold in his
plea. Like an Oriental making a bargain, as
we have remarked, he drops from point TO
point in his iuterccssiou until he reaches ten
lie is all humility. lie speaks Of himself rs
dust and ashes in Gods sight In this he has
the spirit Of true prayer, for while at ia"
beginning Of his petitions he makes the grand
argument that the Judge Of all the earth
should do right, yet he maniin,ts submission
10 His will and is ready evidently to accept a
denial of his request God meets him gra-
ciously at each point and promises to grant
each petition, even to the saving of Sodom #
not more than ten righteous persons should
be found in it.
The question may be raised, if God would
have promised to save the city for the sake Of
five righteous persons. The sequel, however,
shows that there were not even five Gen.
xix, lG.
This lesson is most instructive in the light it
sheds on the presumption Of our expressing an
opinion as to the righteousness Of Gods gov
eminent There are many unbelevers who
are ready TO call God. as lie is represented IN
the Old and New Testaments, harsh, unfeci-
ing tyrant. There is a great disposition III
some quarters to try to justify the ways OF
God with men, by affirming that men who